Imagine you could transport through time and meet with indigenous Americans in 1519, just prior to the arrival of Hernan Cortes in Mexico and his contact with the Aztec empire and the subsequent fall of Tenochtitlan. This outbreak led to a massive outbreak of smallpox in Tenochtitlan, killing most of the Aztec army and approximately a quarter of the city’s population. You have a very short time to introduce them to the concept of infectious diseases, and help them prepare to protect themselves against the coming onslaught of smallpox.
Investigate how smallpox is spread, and how it has been controlled over the centuries. What interventions to control spread could you put into place in this population?
What interventions might be difficult or impossible to implement in 1519 Mexico?
How might the world be different today if European-origin diseases had not decimated the indigenous population of North and South America?
